The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for outputting an on-screen display (hereinafter, referred to as xe2x80x9cOSDxe2x80x9d), and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for outputting an OSD of a display device, the method and apparatus being capable of preventing the display device from being damaged by the OSD which represents an operation state of the display device.
In general, a display device (such as a monitor of a computer system) has an OSD function for displaying a state of the display device.
When the display device operates in an abnormal state (for example, a cable connector which connects the display device to an external system is disconnected) a controller of the display device displays a warning message, such as xe2x80x9ccheck signal cablexe2x80x9d, on a screen of the display device having an OSD function.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,670,972 (granted to Kim Young-Hee), entitled xe2x80x9cSELF-DIAGNOSIS ARRANGEMENT FOR A VIDEO DISPLAY AND METHOD OF IMPLEMENTING THE SAME,xe2x80x9d discloses the OSD function of the display device and a method for indicating an abnormal state of the display device.
However, in the prior OSD function of the display device described above, the OSD is fixedly displayed on a predetermined output position of the screen of the display device for a long time. Accordingly, in a case where the display device is a cathode-ray tube, luminous materials applied to a fluorescent screen of the cathode-ray tube damage the screen. Consequently, the life of the display device decreases.
Also, where the display device is a liquid crystal display, the liquid crystal display is damaged by a direct current voltage due to an electric charge accumulated in the liquid crystal display.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for outputting an OSD of a display device, which is capable of preventing the display device from being damaged by the OSD.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for outputting an OSD of a display device, the apparatus being capable of preventing the display device from being damaged by the OSD.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises the steps of:
(i) outputting an on-screen display based on whether or not an on-screen display activation signal, which represents an abnormal state of a display device, is inputted;
(ii) changing an output position of the on-screen display based on whether or not an output time of the on-screen display in step (I) exceeds a predetermined reference time;
(iii) outputting the on-screen display to the output position changed in step (ii); and
(iv) returning to step (ii) or step (iii) based on whether or not the output time of the on-screen display in step (iii) exceeds the predetermined reference time.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises:
an on-screen display circuit section for outputting an on-screen display signal in response to an on-screen display output signal and an on-screen display output position changing signal, and for stopping the output of the on-screen display signal in response to an on-screen display erasing signal;
a video outputting section for outputting either a video screen or an on-screen display to the display device in response to a video signal from an external source or the on-screen display signal from said on-screen display circuit section; and
a control section for monitoring whether or not an on-screen display activation signal, which represents an abnormal state of the display device, is inputted from the outside, for supplying the on-screen display output signal to said on-screen display circuit section when the on-screen display activation signal is inputted, for counting an output time of the on-screen display outputted to the display device, for supplying the on-screen display output position changing signal in order to change an output position of the on-screen display to said on-screen display circuit section based on whether or not the output time of the on-screen display exceeds a predetermined reference time, for monitoring whether or not an on-screen display deactivation signal, which represents a normal state of the display device, is inputted from the outside, and for supplying the on-screen display erasing signal to said on-screen display circuit section when the on-screen display deactivation signal is inputted.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises the steps of:
(a) outputting an on-screen display based on whether or not an on-screen display activation signal, which represents an abnormal state of a display device, is inputted; and
(b) erasing the on-screen display based on whether or not an output time of the on-screen display exceeds a predetermined reference time.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises:
an on-screen display circuit section for outputting or stopping an on-screen display signal in response to an on-screen display output signal or an on-screen display erasing signal;
a video outputting section for outputting either a video screen or an on-screen display to the display device in response to a video signal from an external source or the on-screen display signal from said on-screen display circuit section; and
a control section for monitoring whether or not an on-screen display activation signal which represents an abnormal state of the display device is inputted from an external source, for supplying the on-screen display output signal to said on-screen display circuit section when the on-screen display activation signal is inputted, for monitoring whether or not an on-screen display deactivation signal which represents a normal state of the display device is inputted from the external source, for supplying the on-screen display erasing signal to said on-screen display circuit section when the on-screen display deactivation signal is inputted, for counting an output time of the on-screen display outputted to the display device, and for supplying the on-screen display erasing signal in order to stop output of the on-screen display to said on-screen display circuit section based on whether or not the output time of the on-screen display exceeds a predetermined reference time.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises the steps of:
(A) outputting an on-screen display based on whether or not an on-screen display activation signal which represents an abnormal state of a display device is inputted;
(B) erasing temporarily the on-screen display based on whether an output time of the on-screen display in step (A) exceeds a predetermined first reference time;
(C) changing an output position of the on-screen display based on whether or not an erasing time of the on-screen display in step (B) exceeds a predetermined second reference time;
(D) outputting the on-screen display to the output position changed in step (C); and
(E) returning to step (C) or step (D) based on whether or not an output time of the on-screen display in step (D) exceeds a predetermined third reference time
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises:
an on-screen display circuit section for outputting an on-screen display signal in response to an on-screen display output signal and an on-screen output position changing signal, for stopping temporarily the output of the on-screen display signal in response to an on-screen display temporarily-erasing signal, and for stopping the output of the on-screen display in response to an on-screen display erasing signal;
a video outputting section for outputting either a video screen or an on-screen display to the display device in response to a video signal from an external source or the on-screen display signal from said on-screen display circuit section; and
a control section for monitoring whether or not an on-screen display activation signal which represents an abnormal state of the display device is inputted from the external source, for supplying the on-screen display output signal to said on-screen display circuit section when the on-screen display activation signal is inputted, for counting an output time of the on-screen display outputted to the display device, for supplying the on-screen display temporarily-erasing signal in order to temporarily erase the on-screen display to said on-screen display circuit section based on whether or not the output time of the on-screen display exceeds a predetermined first reference time, for supplying the on-screen display output position changing signal in order to change the output position of the on-screen display to said on-screen display circuit section based on whether or not the output time of the on-screen display exceeds either a predetermined second reference time or a predetermined third reference time, for monitoring whether or not an on-screen display deactivation signal is inputted, and for supplying the on-screen display erasing signal to said on-screen display circuit section when the on-screen display deactivation signal is inputted.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises the steps of:
(F) monitoring whether or not a frequency range of horizontal and vertical sync signals is within the scope of a predetermined frequency range so as to check a state of a display device;
(G) executing a normal operation routine when the state of the display device is a normal state;
(H) checking whether or not an operation mode of the display device is a power saving mode when the state of the display device is an abnormal state;
(I) setting a flag corresponding to the power saving mode to execute the power saving mode when the operation mode of the display device is the power saving mode; and
(J) setting a flag corresponding to the abnormal state so as to output an on-screen display when the operation mode of the display device is not the power saving mode.
In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a method for outputting an on-screen display of a display device, which comprises the steps of:
(K) initializing a start position of the on-screen display when a power source is applied to a display device;
(L) outputting a message for setting an output mode of the on-screen display;
(M) setting the output mode of the on-screen display in response to a key signal generated by a user;
(N) checking whether or not an on-screen display activation signal which represents an abnormal state of the display device is inputted;
(O) executing a normal operation routine when the on-screen display activation signal is not inputted; and
(P) displaying the on-screen display corresponding to the output mode set by the user among a moving mode, an erasing mode and a moving/erasing mode on the display device when the on-screen display activation signal is inputted.
In the method and apparatus for outputting the OSD of the display device according to the present invention, the output mode of the OSD which represents the abnormal state of the display device is one of the moving mode, the erasing mode and the erasing/moving mode. Accordingly, it is able to prevent the display device (such as the cathode-ray tube and liquid crystal display) from being damaged by displaying the OSD on the one output position of the display device for a long time. Also, it is able to prevent the life of the display device from decreasing.